This is remarkable similar to the debate over how to deal with the late term At-Large vacancies, which Parties can fill. But of course there, it is a shorter period time then seven or eight weeks obviously. Also if there are multiple indy vacancies that could be rather problematic.
With PR, how many indies would be expected to be able to win? Is it possible for more then oen to win?
I think if we do an open-list election for all 11 seats, and there is an independent/minor party list, or perhaps even two such lists, and there are some strong candidates, more than one win should be possible.
If I may make a few contributions here: it is most certainly possible to elect several independents under open-list PR if said independents ran strong campaigns - which has certainly been achieved before in Atlasia's history!
On the matter of vacancies, I am already skeptical of any form of appointment to an elected office and totally opposed to filling a vacancy left by an independent left in this manner. Simply by virtue of electing an independent, the voters directly chose to not endorse the political positions of any party but the specific positions of one candidate. No executive can legitimately claim to be able to appoint another independent to fill such a vacancy - seeing as such a replacement cannot be viewed as an acceptable successor to the positions of he previous independent.
A solution to this can be to simply allow the seat to remain vacant until the next election. Alternatively, a special election could be held within a reasonable timeframe.
Looking at the issue of replacement for members who are from a party, an easier solution could be for the next candidate on the party list to be automatically awarded the vacant seat. If the list is exhausted, then the method of the party choosing the replacement could be implemented.
